Have you ever gotten stuck? I would almost guarantee that you’ve gotten stuck somewhere along this journey called life. It’s mental hell sometimes, and you know what? I’m right there with you. We’re going deeper today to look at experiencing a spiritual awakening. Are you ready?
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A few years ago my spiritual life changed. I woke up one day from a nap with one of my current and one of my previous dogs. I was face down, and woke up in such a shift that I can literally still feel it. They say these things only happen in movies, or that people make them up. I don’t believe that anymore. Because it’s happened to me twice.
The first time was over a decade ago. I was out the night before, drinking heavily and drowning in whatever sorrows I laid out at the time. This sucked, that sucked, everything sucked, so because of that, I tuned it all out. But I do remember one distinct memory, having a red solo cup of whatever that was with a person I once knew.
The next morning I woke up the same exact way. Face down, pulling away from my bed inhaling hard and fast. I was having a panic attack, and visited the hospital a short time later. Soon after this experience, I planned my move home, started over, and met my future husband on the 2nd to last day I was in town. Talk about some unique timing.
Now some of you may read this and think I’m talking about experiencing a spiritual awakening. And maybe that’s what it was. I’m going to chalk it up though to some not so great life choices and then a shift that pushed me into becoming a better person for myself and for those around me.
It took some time, a lot of time. Discovering who I was and who I am and who I still will be is taking some hardcore efforts. You would think this kind of stuff should just come preprogrammed in your subconscious, right? Unfortunately, we just ride the rollercoaster until it takes us for a spin that’s not so fun and tells us to turn ourselves around. I feel like most all of you could relate in at least one way or another.
This was the first turnaround for me. The first oh shit moment that propelled me into a “grown-up” life and realizing that I needed to start taking myself seriously. The next came a few years back as I mentioned previously, and this one I would actually consider a spiritual awakening…have you had one?
Related: Unlearning A Fixed Mindset: Leaving Old Habits Behind
For some, experiencing a spiritual awakening might feel like a sudden realization or deep shift in perspective. It’s often described as a transformative event that can alter one’s view on life and personal purpose.
I’m talking about the moment you discover you’re meant for more, meant to enjoy life, not just live it. I’m talking about those moments that flutter so quickly by each day because we’re moving too damn fast to really live in them. You know the ones. Those are the ones you look back on and dread because you forgot they even existed. You hate yourself for always being “too busy” or dedicated to the grind and the hustle that it’s actually caused you to demolish any sense of reality you have left.
It’s the times spent looking back on our time spent. It’s relishing in the moments we lived through so hastily and wanting them back so badly. It looks different to everyone, but it happens to most every human. We forget our passion projects, our love for things, our drive to do something.
When I had that awakening, I woke up that morning and the first thought that came to me was that I needed to see a therapist. But not just any kind. I wasn’t even sure what kind. So, like any modern day millennial, I started googling.
I scrolled for awhile until stumbling on a girl from a town I used to reside in. How ironic, I thought. Life just became full circle.
I called immediately and was disappointed that she didn’t answer right away. You see, that’s the problem. We have such immediate gratitude these days, that waiting on absolutely anything that we want right freaking now, is a whole anxiety inducing experience.
She eventually called back, and we set up a video call to see if we were the right fit. 3 years later, I still see her every few months.
—
Yesterday I was talking to a friend about how my creative mind was coming up dry. I have been frustrated for weeks because I loathe putting out content that isn’t authentic. I don’t write just for the sake of writing, I write because I love it. It’s freeing, magnificent, stress-relieving, and therapeutic. I write online because I want others to understand they’re not alone in this ridiculous world and that I feel what they feel. I write to strangers on the internet because we’re all alike more than we think.
We all self-ridicule, criticize, compare and forget to relate. We focus on others success and forget that we have so many of our own to be proud of. During this conversation, I realized that the reason I’d been having writers block is because I forgot what I was passionate about. I forgot how important this blog, this journey was to begin with. I forgot why I started it.
If you’re new here, I’ll share a quick reminder.
A little while ago I experienced what I thought was a stroke. Turns out I was just stressed to the max and didn’t even know it. I’m pretty sure 90% of the population is the same way, which is why heart disease is so popular. We overwork, overcomplicate, and overbook ourselves literally to death and I’m here to stop myself *again* from doing that.
Related: The Road Less Traveled: My Journey To Healthy Part 1
Every so often I experience burnout. I’m starting to recognize that it happens around the 6 weeks mark. I’ll work until I have no time left to even enjoy a longer shower and then I’ll crash and only want to nap and forget work of any kind for days. Does this feel familiar?
You see, in this friendly chat, it hit me that I was doing it again. I was stopping myself from allowing time to rest, to recharge, to think for goodness sake. The only thing I think of is work, and scheduling, and cramming. So much so that I even dream about how to organize my schedule. I want to yell into my brain to just SHUT OFF ALREADY. But, it doesn’t work like that.
—
So today is a new day. Today is a day that I had donuts and watched my series and enjoyed time with my dogs instead of grinding in work mode and going to the gym to beat up my body. Don’t get me wrong, self-care in the form of exercise is so important, but not to the extent that you forget to take care of your mental health as well.
I’m restarting this day as a day that focuses more on what I love. More on why I started this blog. That week that I took off so long ago when I realized this is what I truly enjoy, needs to be revisited. This is not just a job, another chore, another check off on the to-do list. It’s my passion. You are my passion. To embrace this life and enjoy it to the fullest with other humans that are on this same trip.
So, will you join me in reigniting your fire?
Show yourself some love, care about your mind and not just your body. Put effort into what you enjoy instead of only what you have to do. There are 168 hours in a week. If you think you don’t have time, I challenge you to track what you do. Start spending more time focusing on what is important and what will actually propel you as a person instead of just what you have to do next.
We can do this. I’ve got your back. Will you have mine?
A few years ago my spiritual life changed. I woke up one day from a nap with one of my current and one of my previous dogs. I was face down, and woke up in such a shift that I can literally still feel it. They say these things only happen in movies, or that people make them up. I don’t believe that anymore. Because it’s happened to me twice.
The first time was over a decade ago. I was out the night before, drinking heavily and drowning in whatever sorrows I laid out at the time. This sucked, that sucked, everything sucked, so because of that, I tuned it all out. But I do remember one distinct memory, having a red solo cup of whatever that was with a person I once knew.
The next morning I woke up the same exact way. Face down, pulling away from my bed inhaling hard and fast. I was having a panic attack, and visited the hospital a short time later. Soon after this experience, I planned my move home, started over, and met my future husband on the 2nd to last day I was in town. Talk about some unique timing.
Now some of you may read this and think I’m talking about experiencing a spiritual awakening. And maybe that’s what it was. I’m going to chalk it up though to some not so great life choices and then a shift that pushed me into becoming a better person for myself and for those around me.
It took some time, a lot of time. Discovering who I was and who I am and who I still will be is taking some hardcore efforts. You would think this kind of stuff should just come preprogrammed in your subconscious, right? Unfortunately, we just ride the rollercoaster until it takes us for a spin that’s not so fun and tells us to turn ourselves around. I feel like most all of you could relate in at least one way or another.
This was the first turnaround for me. The first oh shit moment that propelled me into a “grown-up” life and realizing that I needed to start taking myself seriously. The next came a few years back as I mentioned previously, and this one I would actually consider a spiritual awakening…have you had one?
Related: Unlearning A Fixed Mindset: Leaving Old Habits Behind
For some, experiencing a spiritual awakening might feel like a sudden realization or deep shift in perspective. It’s often described as a transformative event that can alter one’s view on life and personal purpose.
I’m talking about the moment you discover you’re meant for more, meant to enjoy life, not just live it. I’m talking about those moments that flutter so quickly by each day because we’re moving too damn fast to really live in them. You know the ones. Those are the ones you look back on and dread because you forgot they even existed. You hate yourself for always being “too busy” or dedicated to the grind and the hustle that it’s actually caused you to demolish any sense of reality you have left.
It’s the times spent looking back on our time spent. It’s relishing in the moments we lived through so hastily and wanting them back so badly. It looks different to everyone, but it happens to most every human. We forget our passion projects, our love for things, our drive to do something.
When I had that awakening, I woke up that morning and the first thought that came to me was that I needed to see a therapist. But not just any kind. I wasn’t even sure what kind. So, like any modern day millennial, I started googling.
I scrolled for awhile until stumbling on a girl from a town I used to reside in. How ironic, I thought. Life just became full circle.
I called immediately and was disappointed that she didn’t answer right away. You see, that’s the problem. We have such immediate gratitude these days, that waiting on absolutely anything that we want right freaking now, is a whole anxiety inducing experience.
She eventually called back, and we set up a video call to see if we were the right fit. 3 years later, I still see her every few months.
—
Yesterday I was talking to a friend about how my creative mind was coming up dry. I have been frustrated for weeks because I loathe putting out content that isn’t authentic. I don’t write just for the sake of writing, I write because I love it. It’s freeing, magnificent, stress-relieving, and therapeutic. I write online because I want others to understand they’re not alone in this ridiculous world and that I feel what they feel. I write to strangers on the internet because we’re all alike more than we think.
We all self-ridicule, criticize, compare and forget to relate. We focus on others success and forget that we have so many of our own to be proud of. During this conversation, I realized that the reason I’d been having writers block is because I forgot what I was passionate about. I forgot how important this blog, this journey was to begin with. I forgot why I started it.
If you’re new here, I’ll share a quick reminder.
A little while ago I experienced what I thought was a stroke. Turns out I was just stressed to the max and didn’t even know it. I’m pretty sure 90% of the population is the same way, which is why heart disease is so popular. We overwork, overcomplicate, and overbook ourselves literally to death and I’m here to stop myself *again* from doing that.
Related: The Road Less Traveled: My Journey To Healthy Part 1
Every so often I experience burnout. I’m starting to recognize that it happens around the 6 weeks mark. I’ll work until I have no time left to even enjoy a longer shower and then I’ll crash and only want to nap and forget work of any kind for days. Does this feel familiar?
You see, in this friendly chat, it hit me that I was doing it again. I was stopping myself from allowing time to rest, to recharge, to think for goodness sake. The only thing I think of is work, and scheduling, and cramming. So much so that I even dream about how to organize my schedule. I want to yell into my brain to just SHUT OFF ALREADY. But, it doesn’t work like that.
—
So today is a new day. Today is a day that I had donuts and watched my series and enjoyed time with my dogs instead of grinding in work mode and going to the gym to beat up my body. Don’t get me wrong, self-care in the form of exercise is so important, but not to the extent that you forget to take care of your mental health as well.
I’m restarting this day as a day that focuses more on what I love. More on why I started this blog. That week that I took off so long ago when I realized this is what I truly enjoy, needs to be revisited. This is not just a job, another chore, another check off on the to-do list. It’s my passion. You are my passion. To embrace this life and enjoy it to the fullest with other humans that are on this same trip.
So, will you join me in reigniting your fire?
Show yourself some love, care about your mind and not just your body. Put effort into what you enjoy instead of only what you have to do. There are 168 hours in a week. If you think you don’t have time, I challenge you to track what you do. Start spending more time focusing on what is important and what will actually propel you as a person instead of just what you have to do next.
We can do this. I’ve got your back. Will you have mine?
